McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center
2 Institute Dr
Concord, NH 03301
United States
- Registration Closes December 1 -
New Hampshire 4-H is excited to announce that we are partnering with the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center to bring back the 4-H Science Bonanza.
This December 13, from 9 a.m. to 1:00 pm, youth ages 5-12 are welcome at this day filled with activities that fuel their interest in science, technology, engineering and math. Teams of educators will help your little ones safely learn about electricity, nutrition, controlling robots, insects, a planetarium show and so much more!
Our youngest participants will explore science activities geared to their level. The STEM Expo will again be filled with displays from 4-H, McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center and local STEM education organizations.
This is not a Drop-off event. Adults are required to stay in the Discovery Center for the duration of the event.
Cost: $15 per youth for the day and includes admission to the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, workshops, planetarium show, and 1 raffle ticket. One parent per family receives free admission. Max $30 for families.For families registering 3 or more participants please contact janell.george@unh.edu so we can apply the discount to the registration. A fee is charged for this Extension program to cover costs. A limited number of scholarships are available to individuals unable to pay. Contact carrie.a.finke@unh.edu with your request.
Food Drive: We are collecting donations of food for the Friendly Kitchen Food Pantry. Donations of food or money will earn additional tickets for the Science Bonanza Raffle. One donated food item for one ticket, or $5 for one ticket. Prizes include a Family Membership to the Mount Washington Observatory, 2 passes for the Mt. Washington Cog Railway, passes to the Squam Lake Science Center, Aviation Museum of NH, SEE Science Center and more.
Cloverbuds (ages 5-7) will experience all sessions in a pre-assigned group and will move to each session with their group.
Workshops for the Juniors (ages 8-12) are arranged in planetary color-coded tracks on a first-registered basis. See below for workshop descriptions.
For more information
This year the Science Bonanza is a co-hosted by UNH 4-H and the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center.
Workshop description (Juniors ages 8-12)
Mercury-Venus Track (Blue):
Bio Fabrication with the STEM-MoBILE! Come learn about the science of making new body parts with the STEM-MoBILE! We will be doing a hands-on experiment which teaches you about how scientists are creating real human body parts out of the same stuff that your body is made of. After the experiment, we'll head outside and check out the traveling lab setup, where you're allowed to touch and interact with real science equipment!
Microbe Code Crackers - Learn all about the microbes living in your gut! In this activity, you will discover how bacterial genes in our gut encode proteins, using a codon wheel to crack the DNA code.
Earth-Mars Track (Red):
Feeling Electric - Hands on demonstrations that explain what electricity is and how it is used in our everyday lives.
Programming Micro:bits to control robots - in this workshop, you will learn to program Micro:Bits using the MakeCode programming environment. You will then use the Micro:Bit Radio functions to build a controller that can control a robot.
Jupiter-Saturn Track (Green):
Bugs on the Menu! Get ready for a fun and yummy science adventure! In this workshop, we’ll explore the weird and wonderful world of edible insects — yes, bugs you can eat! You’ll learn how people around the world eat insects as a healthy and earth-friendly food. We’ll try some real insect snacks (if you're brave enough and have permission!). By the end, you'll be a Bug Food Scientist who knows how insects might help feed the world in the future!
The Water Guardian's Lab - become a Water Guardian and protect our most precious resource! Put on your lab coat and learn what it's like to be a real scientist! Move from station to station to conduct important tests on a water sample to see if it is safe to drink. Discover what may contaminate water, even if it looks crystal clear. Your experiments will help us be protectors of public health!
Uranus-Neptune Track (Yellow)
Rovers on Mars! Use your creativity to build a cardboard, all-terrain rover that can travel across a variety of surfaces. Simple motors and recycled materials will be provided. You bring the imagination!
Seeing into Space - Join John Gianforte, the Sky Guy, and Director of the UNH Observatory to learn how telescopes work by checking out the newly updated McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center's Monster, C-14 telescope. We'll learn how telescopes work and what the different kinds of telescopes look like. And, if the sky is clear, we'll do a little stargazing at our own star, the Sun. We will also see how to hook up a camera to a telescope so you can shoot photos through your own telescope if you have one.
Sun-Moon Track (Purple)
ISS: Living and working in Space - through discussions and a variety of visual and hands on demonstrations, students will learn how astronauts live and work in space while answering questions like: What challenges do astronauts face? How do they adjust to microgravity? What kind of tools help them with their work?
Making Waves: Can we engineer beaches? We will be building three different physical models of beaches, one natural, one bio-engineered (a living shoreline), and one engineered with hard structures. Then the fun part! What happens to them when we create storm waves? Does the beach survive? What about roads and houses? We will find out!!
